A Quick Apron Project and a New Machine!!!

Sooo...I was sewing along the other day on the hooded towel project that I blogged about here and everything was going fine.  The serger was doing its job and serging away finishing seams as it went and then all of the sudden...Errkgoik!  It just...locked up.

I never really realized how much I use my serger until it wasn't there anymore.  Yikes!

I took it to the Babylock dealer and they were having a fabulous trade in deal. I basically got what I paid for it 15 or so years ago.  I hemmed and hawed (Not too long - just a little bit!) and, with my husband's encouragement took the trade in and got a new 8-thread chain stitch, cover stitch, wave stitch (whatever that is!) machine!  I have been dying for a cover stitch machine!

My new Babylock 8-thread serger!

Look at all those places for thread!  Oh My! I was happily surprised, however, because, as promised by the store owner, I was able to thread it up with the help of the cheater card and was able to get a regular 4-thread serger stitch going pretty quickly.  The beauty of the Baby lock machines is the air threading.  Just push a button and the loopers are threaded.

The coverstitch prep looks a bit more complicated and I haven't been brave enough or had enough time to attempt to thread it for the cover stitch yet. I am glad that the store owner offers guide classes for as long as you own the machine.  I plan to head in for classes as soon as summer begins in just 2 short weeks (not that I'm counting!  Ha!)

So our test project on the new machine was an adult version of the apron that a blogged about here - Butterick See and Sew B4585 .  My daughter was putting together a "baking" themed gift for a friend who was getting married this weekend and the apron was the perfect finishing touch.

One side of the apron.  I love this cute retro fabric from Joann's

I used the same pattern and did the same basic alterations as I did on the little girl aprons.  In order to make it a bit more girlie, curvy, I drew in a new curvy a-line side seam from the waist tie down.  I also took about 3 inches off the hem so that I could add the pleated border.  The last change was to make the apron reversible.  

The flip side.
 There is actually a small dotted pattern on the teal fabric
that doesn't show up well in this picture

Such a satisfying project - done in an evening and a great teaching project for DD#2.  (Yep!  I've got 2 daughters hooked on sewing now!  Yay!)  The new serger worked like a dream.  It is so much smoother than the old machine - maybe because I wasn't the best at having the old one in for regular service??

It also had a really bright light which is great for these old eyes!

This weekend my daughters and I are taking a class on making a T-shirt quilt.   I'm planning to use some of my son's high school sports T-shirts to make the quilt.  I don't get to sew for him too often any more and I've never made a quilt before so I am really excited to get working on this project.

As always...thanks for visiting my blog!  

Sweet Aprons for 3 Little Valentines

I am blessed with 3 sweet little cousin/Godchildren.  A few weeks ago the littlest of the three came to play with us for a few hours.  She announced as soon as she walked in the door that we were going to make brownies - but we would just eat one and save the rest for late.  What self-control!

Well...Who doesn't love to lick the spoon?!

Such a serious brownie cook!

Brownies?  I can do brownies!  





So I ran off to get the apron that my Dad bought for me on deployment in the Philippines when I was just a little girl.  I wore it and both my girls wore it and now my little God Daughter is wearing it!

After her visit, I decided that all three of the cousins must have aprons of their own to wear!  So off I went to Joanne's to find some pretty fabric for aprons.

Butterick See and Sew B4585 modified

I used an old Butterick See & Sew Pattern B4585 for the basic shape and then flared the skirt a bit.  I also eliminated the pocket (I wanted the pretty fabric to shine!), added a ruffle to the bottom and lined the whole thing so that it is reversible.  A girl has to have choices, right?!

I pulled out the pleater foot for this project.  I haven't used in in forever so I had to practice a bit, but I love how easy it is to make perfect easy pleats with it!

Doesn't it look crazy?

The little metal "fork" looking piece pushes the fabric into perfectly spaced pleats.  You can adjust the spacing by just moving a little lever on top.

It can be a monster to get on the machine, though...

The magic pleater foot!

For my nephew, I found a half-finished apron from a pre-printed panel buried in the unfinished objects pile.  All I had to do was add the waist ties and it is the perfect apron for the Sunday pancake-helper in the family.

I took the aprons over to my cousins' house tonight and snapped some pics.  I forgot how hard it is to get a good picture of 3 squirmy little ones all at one time.  Here are some of our attempts:

Attempt #1 They are "flipping pancakes"

The little one liked her eyes closed and wanted me to use this pic.  So...Here it is...

This one is not bad!

I'm hoping that they have as many fond memories of time spent in the kitchen baking up goodies with love and family  and

... maybe ... 

their new aprons will be a part of those memories.  

Happy Valentine's Day All!